Chapter I: Front Matter

GAY-NECK

The Story of A Pigeon

By Dhan Gopal Mukerji

Illustrated by
Boris Artzybasheff

New York
E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.

Copyright, 1927
By E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY

_All rights reserved_

_First Printing_ _July, 1927_
_Fifth Printing_ _Dec., 1927_
_Tenth Printing_ _May, 1928_
_Fifteenth Printing_ _Oct., 1928_
_Seventeenth Printing_ _Jan., 1929_
_Eighteenth Printing_ _June, 1929_
_Nineteenth Printing_ _Nov., 1929_
_Twentieth Printing_ _Nov., 1929_

_Printed in the United States of America_

_This book was awarded the John Newbery Medal by the
Children's Librarians' Section of the American Library Association,
for the most distinguished contribution to
American Children's literature during the year 1927._

By the same author

CASTE AND OUTCAST
MY BROTHER'S FACE
THE SECRET LISTENERS OF THE EAST
THE FACE OF SILENCE

_Stories for Children_

KARI THE ELEPHANT
JUNGLE BEASTS AND MEN
HARI THE JUNGLE LAD
GAY-NECK (The Story of a Pigeon)

Published by
E. P. DUTTON & CO., INC.

TO Suresh Chandra Banerji, Esq.

DEAR SURESH:

Since Gay-Neck needs a protector I thought of you for several reasons. First of all being a poet, an observer of nature, and a traveller, you would be able to protect the book from being condemned. In fact, there is no one who can do it as well as yourself.

You know the country where Gay-Neck grew. You are versed in the lore of birds. For a pigeon, life is a repetition of two incidents: namely, quest of food and avoidance of attacks by its enemies. If the hero of the present book repeats his escapes from attacks by hawks, it is because that is the sort of mishap that becomes chronic in the case of pigeons.

Now as to my sources, you well know that they are too numerous to be mentioned here. Many hunters, poets like yourself, and books in many languages have helped me to write Gay-Neck. And if you will permit it, I hope to discharge at least a part of my debt by dedicating this book to one of my sources--yourself.

I remain most faithfully yours,
DHAN GOPAL.

CONTENTS

PART I

I. BIRTH OF GAY-NECK

II. EDUCATION OF GAY-NECK

III. TRAINING IN DIRECTION

IV. GAY-NECK IN THE HIMALAYAS

V. ON GAY-NECK'S TRACK

VI. GAY-NECK'S TRUANCY

VII. GAY-NECK'S STORY

VIII. GAY-NECK'S ODYSSEY (Continued)

PART II

I. GAY-NECK'S TRAINING FOR WAR

II. WAR TRAINING (Continued)

III. MATING OF GAY-NECK

IV. WAR CALLS GAY-NECK

V. SECOND ADVENTURE

VI. GHOND GOES RECONNOITRING

VII. GAY-NECK TELLS HOW HE CARRIED THE MESSAGE

VIII. HEALING OF HATE AND FEAR

IX. THE WISDOM OF THE LAMA

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

GAY-NECK

WITH ENORMOUSLY LONG REACH HE ALMOST TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE TREE

NO BEAST OF PREY CAN KILL HIS VICTIM WITHOUT FRIGHTENING HIM FIRST

THAT SOUND WAS DROWNED IN THE CRY OF THE EAGLES ABOVE WHO SCREECHED LIKE MAD, SLAYING EACH OTHER

GAY-NECK